OpenOffice is a free and open source software suite that includes Writer, an alternative to Microsoft Word. Although Writer works incredibly well, it saves files in the OpenDocument Text (.ODT) format. This shouldn’t be a problem unless you need to open files in Microsoft Word.
If you have Word 2010 or newer, the .ODT file will open automatically when you double-click. But what about those who use older versions of Word or haven’t installed Word?
Do not worry. We will show you how to convert .ODT to Word document. Try one of the following methods listed below.
Use WordPad
The first method uses WordPad to convert .ODT files to .DOC files, the Word file format. Find the .ODT file you want to open. Right-click the file and choose Open With.
This will force Windows to show you all compatible apps. Select WordPad from the list and click OK.
The file will open as a WordPad document. Select File Save As Office Open XML Document.
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Rename the file if necessary, then click Save to continue. This will create a version of the original .DOC file. You should now have access to the document in MS Word.
Transfer files online
There are many third party sites that allow users to convert .ODT files to .DOC files. These sites usually have the same process. Users download the file they want to convert, select the format to convert, then download the result. In some cases, a link is sent to users via email telling them where to download the file.
Make sure you are using a reputable service before converting files online.
Go to Google Drive
Did you know you can use Google Drive to convert files? Google Drive is free. All you need is a Google account.
Go to Google Drive and sign in. From Control Panel, select New File Upload. Select the file you want to convert and click Open.
Alternatively, you can drag and drop the file to Google Drive
Once downloaded, double-click the document. Click Open in Google Docs.
This process allows users to edit files through Google Docs, a web-based document editing application. .ODT files opened through the application are automatically converted to the .DOC format.
To download your document, choose File Download As Microsoft Word.
Navigate to the default Chrome downloads folder (usually your Downloads folder). You will find a copy of the .DOC file there. Open in Word and edit as usual.
Note. The same method can be used to save files in PDF format.
Why can’t i open my ODT files?
What happens if you can’t open .ODT files using any of the above methods? In this case, chances are that you did not originally have an .ODT file. Some files have the .ODT extension, but this is actually not the case.
For example, an .ADT file is a file format that is used with a product called ACT. The .ODM extension can easily be mistaken for .ODT. However, this format is used by OverDrive to save media files.
Conclusion
You need to convert .ODT files to Word format in order to open them in Word. Of all the methods discussed, the simplest and safest option would be to use WordPad.
Using Google Drive works just as well, but you need to be online for it to work.
Some third-party OpenOffice to Microsoft Word converters work. But some are not as safe as others. You will need to do a little research to determine which .ODT to Word document converters are legal.
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